Sajith learns of the difficulties of private healthcare workers firsthand

The recent spell of illness that restricted the movements of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs Minister Sajith Premadasa, who was asked to rest for a few days, had led the minister to have a first hand experience on grievances of minor employees serving in the private healthcare service.

A spokesman of the personal staff of Minister Premadasa told Daily Mirror that Minister Premadasa has been shocked to learn the salary these workers draw and facilities available to them at private hospitals and nursing homes.

“The minor staff who attended to Minister Premadasa had been highly impressed about his simplicity and humility and they have been extremely pleased to help him. Touched by their benevolence, Minister Premadasa had inquired about their salaries and facilities they get and he could not believe when they reluctantly explained to him their woes,” the spokesman said.

They had disclosed after much persuasion that their monthly salaries were between Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 25,000. Many of them travel to Colombo from rural areas and they are left with only a few hundred rupees after paying for transport, food and lodging in the City.

Minister Premadasa had assured them that he would draw the attention of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to their poor salaries and facilities and find a lasting solution by way of introducing a minimum wage and making more facilities mandatory.

He has also pledged to instruct the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) to prepare a special programme immediately to resolve the housing problem of the minor staff of private hospitals.

The minister had assured them that free housing would be made available for them under the ‘Gam Udawa’ programme. Those who can afford to build his or her own house, purchase a land or house would get a soft loan with the lowest interest rate possible from the NHDA, he has told them.

Minister Premadasa has also instructed his personal staff to permit these minor employees to meet him at any time at his ministry.

he minor staff who attended to Minister Premadasa had been highly impressed about his simplicity and humility and they have been extremely pleased to help him